IFA test

I have a cat that strayed in and he tested positive twice on the felv test so I did the IFA blood test, that also came back positive.  I have problems believing this because the cat is not sick at all.  He was sickly when he strayed in to my farm but how is a healthy looking boy.  the question is,  should I have the IFA test again or would that be wasting my money?  I just love him so much, I am hoping all the test are wrong.  Is the IFA test 100% accurate? 

thanks for any help   

I am so sorry that you have an FeLV positive kitty. Here is some information from Cornell University about FeLV testing, and I will link you to the page about Feline Leukemia. There is a lot of very good information that might help you out... we would often refer clients who liked to read more about their cat's condition here as part of our 'reading list'.

 
I understand there are two stages of FeLV infection. What are they?
FeLV is present in the blood (a condition called viremia) during two different stages of infection:

• Primary viremia, an early stage of virus infection. During this stage some cats are able to mount an effective immune response, eliminate the virus from the bloodstream, and halt progression to the secondary viremia stage.
• Secondary viremia, a later stage characterized by persistent infection of the bone marrow and other tissue. If FeLV infection progresses to this stage it has passed a point of no return: the overwhelming majority of cats with secondary viremia will be infected for the remainder of their lives. (emphasis mine)

How is infection diagnosed?
Two types of FeLV blood tests are in common use. Both detect a protein component of the virus as it circulates in the bloodstream.

• ELISA  (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and similar tests can be performed in your veterinarian's office. ELISA-type tests detect both primary and secondary stages of viremia.
• IFA  (indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay) tests must be sent out to a diagnostic laboratory. IFA tests detect secondary viremia only, so the majority of positive-testing cats remain infected for life. (my emphasis)

Each testing method has strengths and weaknesses. Your veterinarian will likely suggest an ELISA-type test first, but in some cases, both tests must be performed—and perhaps repeated—to clarify a cat's true infection status.

Click to expand...

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/brochure_felv.cfm

In short, a positive IFA test does mean that your cat does have Feline Leukemia and he has not been able to successfully clear the virus. He will likely have an infection for life.

I'm so sorry to be the bearer of bad news. 

~MackieMac

thank you.  I guess no use in spending more money or retesting the IFA.  was just wondering if the IFA test was ever wrong or could be wrong.  He tested positive twice for felv and once on the ifa test.   I have 15 other cats in the house but I have him separated and I feel so bad that he is alone until I get home.  I thought about getting him another felv positive cat for company but I heard that when one gets sick, it's fatal to both.       thanks for all the information. 

it's horrible knowing I can't do nothing more for the poor sweet cat but to try and keep him healthy and happy.  He isn't sickly and has gained 8 pounds since I found him.  It's just odd to me. 

He can have a felv + companion... I've had felv kitties with roommates since 2007. The thing is, its really a crapshoot as to who lives longer and who doesn't.
But at least they are not alone, that relieves stress. Its important for positives to have a low stress life. Google felv and research some of the groups. The support and info I got helped alot. This is Cranberry one of my heartbreaker's. I lost her at about the age of 2. My avatar is Serendipity... who did not make it to a year old.
BUT, Kayenne was with me until she was almost 5 years old! So I guess the roommate idea depends on whether you can spend time with them and are able to handle the fact that they will have much shorter lifespans. So make sure you value every minute [emoji]128568[/emoji]. Sorry for the novel, just wanted you to know what you can do for him.

thank you.  Sorry to hear about your babies.  My Skylar is about a year and a half and is healthy at the moment.  I hope it stays that way.    

Yes, I hope that Skylar stays healthy !
Lisa